Dual Spectrum CMH Grow Lights

Dual Spectrum CMH Grow Lights

Dual Element LEC Crop Lighting, Bright Tech or Gimmick?

Dual spectrum CMH grow lights are here. Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH), or as it is sometimes called LEC (light emitting ceramic) grow lights are a well proven technology, and are here to stay. If you aren’t familiar with CMH Grow Lights, Click HERE for some background material, ie how only 315 watts can keep up with at least twice the wattage of a standard HPS grow lighting system. If you are familiar with CMH grow light basics, please read on to learn more about the new dual spectrum CMH grow lights now available.

The 320 watt dual element CMH grow lights combine two different salt packages (elements) in two separate arc tubes that are carefully engineered into one single lamp

It’s well understood by photobiologists that the “blue” portions of the spectrum that the sun delivers for plant growth (photosynthesis) contains more energy versus red or other spectra for growth. In basic terms light that has a higher proportion of blue in the overall bandwidth of light color being delivered can grow more crop, watt for watt. If you want to learn more about this in greater depth, Click HERE.

However, in practical terms many growers desire an increased balanced red end to the lighting spectrum they deliver to crops where fruits and flowers are harvested, ie why many growers use more blue light in vegetative growth and then increase the red portion of the spectrum once plants have started flowering and fruiting. As a result, many savvy growers have retrofitted existing HPS flowering rooms with supplemental CMH grow lights to get more light energy via “blue” lighting while keeping increased wattage minimal for the benefits they reap, ie higher yields of significantly better marketable qualities (firmness, color, essential oil contents, etc).

Above: Real World Sealed Grow Room Combines HPS & CMH Grow Lights

Eliminate Need for Two Different Fixtures

For growers building new grow rooms or adding supplemental lighting to greenhouses being able to use one lighting system that can allow for a tailored blend of tuneable spectrum high efficiency wattage saving grow lights is a highly worthwhile investment , ie no need to use a separate HPS light system and a separate CMH grow light system.

Enter dual spectrum CMH grow lights. The Juggernaut Series from Summit-Lighting offers growers a unique and practical solution for keeping the power bill low while reaping heavier and better quality harvests by allowing a more tuneable lighting spectrum from CMH grow lights. These lumieres (grow light fixtures) are able to operate a dual element CMH grow lamp. The 320 watt dual element CMH grow lights combine two different salt packages (elements) in two separate arc tubes that are carefully engineered into one single lamp. The significance here is that CMH grow lights can now be made to carry an enhanced full spectrum without needing to use any power hungry HPS grow lighting.

The result is being able to deliver very well color balanced lighting for any growth phase, with example #1 (above) being a great “all round” CMH lamps with example #2 being ideal as a “finisher” spectrum for the final 10-14 days of flowering before harvest.

Proven Results

While dual spectrum CMH lighting is relatively new in popularity, the early results have been overwhelmingly positive. At Grozine, we have had some early testing with the 4K/6K lamp element combination in the Summit Lighting Juggernaut fixture and have been seriously impressed.

In the vegetative or leaf growth phase where we typically use a 3100K Philips Agro CMH lamp as a standard, the dual spectrum has delivered a clear advantage: growth is tight and prolific, both in the shoots and roots of young plants. With this, we were able to stretch the area covered by around +30%. The increase in grow light coverage is very significant. High end grow lights, while saving lots on power, aren’t inexpensive to purchase–so being able to require fewer fixtures in the same sized area for the same or better results shows us a strong advantage for dual spectrum CMH grow lights coming straight out of the gate.

Stay Tuned for More

The early results are promising and we are excited to share more as we put dual spectrum CMH grow lights through their paces in a variety of applications. Stay tuned for a detailed review, here at Grozine.

Erik Biksa
Erik Biksa has been writing about and discussing hydroponics growing, related technologies and cropping methods since 1999 in a variety of professional publications and platforms globally Erik has travelled the world learning and teaching modern growing techniques and technologies and is appreciated by many growers for his informative yet hands on approaches. Presently, he is the Editor at Grozine Hydroponics Mag.